Meet Our W-CATs

Writing Course Attached Tutors, or W-CATs (formerly known as PWSAs and TWAs) are writing tutors assigned to a specific course.  There are W-CATs attached to every First Year Seminar, which serves as your W1 (GenEd requirement), and sometimes there are W-CATs in W2 courses, which are part of Bates’ Writing-Attentive Curriculum. W-CATs provide class-specific support, including but not limited to written and oral assignments and assessments. W-CATs have typically demonstrated perseverance in writing in the subject, have nurtured a relationship with the course professor, and/or have previously taken the course or a course in the major or minor. All W-CATs have also taken at least the first course in our tutor education sequence, EXDS 201 Writing Tutoring: Supporting Your Peers as Writers, Thinkers, & Communicators, offered every winter semester before they being working. W-CATs will introduce themselves at the beginning of the semester, but you can also ask your course instructor or come into the Student Writing & Language Center to find out your W-CATs contact information and when they are in the SWLC to support you.

If you are enrolled in a course with a W-CAT attached to it, you may schedule a meeting with the W-CAT through Penji by searching the name of your course or professor (do not search by your W-CAT’s name). These tutors possess the tools and training to help you reach your goals as a writer in the course. Think of W-CATs as a subset of general writing tutors–their sole responsibility is supporting you in becoming an independent and confident writer and communicator in your course–and beyond!

Please read below to learn about our current roster of W2 W-CATs.

Trinity Poon is the W-CAT for ASIA/REL 308: Buddhist Texts in Translation with Professor Ali Melnick Dyer.

Hello! I am a sophomore from Sandwich, MA double majoring in English and French. I am involved with The Bates Student and Cold Front, the Women’s Ultimate Frisbee team. I hope to be another friendly face for first-years on campus while also helping them to achieve their writing goals. I highly value authenticity and kindness in all sectors of academics and I work to incorporate these values into my tutoring. In my free time you can find me reading, running, or spending time outside.

I speak English and am a French Language Learner.


ZZ Liang is the W-CAT for GSS 202: Queer and Trans Sports Studies with Prof. Erica Rand.

Greetings! My name is ZZ (“Zee Zee”) Liang (she/her), a Neuroscience major minoring in Hispanic Studies, fueled by a profound passion for Gender and Sexuality Studies and racial equity. Fluent in English, conversational Cantonese, Taishanese, and on a journey of mastering Spanish, I’m excited to serve as a WCAT, where my commitment to lifelong learning merges with my dedication to fostering a safe and collaborative learning environment. I understand that each of us carries a unique experience and tapestry of experiences, which I not only acknowledge but wholeheartedly embrace. My goal is to celebrate our differences and cultivate growth together, with a strong emphasis on transparency and teamwork. On a lighter note, here’s a fun tidbit about me: I have an undeniable fondness for pickles and turtles. Although, I must clarify, I’m not a fan of pickled turtles… or turtled pickles!


Joaquin Torres is the W-CAT for DCS 206: The Past, Present, and Possible Dystopian Future of Computing with Prof. Carrie Diaz Eaton.

Mabuhay! I’m Joaquin (they/them), a Neuroscience and Theater double major (and DCS minor). I will be a writing tutor and a designated W-CAT for DCS 206. While I’m trained to tutor general writing, I specialize in writing in the sciences (neuroscience, biology, and DCS), psychology, theater and creative writing. When I’m not in a lab playing with computers or brain waves or onstage acting my heart out, you can see me tossing a frisbee with Orange Whip on one of the fields or hanging out in the library reading a book.